Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940045359054 |
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| Publisher: | Kristell Ink |
| Publication date: | 10/31/2013 |
| Sold by: | Smashwords |
| Format: | NOOK Book |
| File size: | 460 KB |
About the Author
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Shadow Over Avalon
4.9 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
10 reviews.
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Is it possible for someone to take the story of King Arthur and recast it in the distant future? Can Arthur live under the ocean in a city called Avalon? Thanks to author C. N. Lesley’s brilliant work, I have the answer to that: ABSOLUTELY!
Lesley does a masterful job of recasting the Arthurian legend in a new world with new characters, new technology, new mental abilities, and even dragons. And yet it is still the story of Arthur.
The story is told through a young and rebellious Arthur who chafes at the role he is being forced into. Struggling to discover his place in the world, he resists the pressure to become an acolyte and serve the monk-like Sanctuary; instead he yearns to see the surface world. Arthur learns about the surface by accessing the recorded memory and experiences of an amazing and mysterious woman called Shadow, one of his city’s warriors, originally from the surface. We learn of a feudal world with kingdoms, duchies, and wild dangerous territories. More interestingly, we are introduced to a brutal and primitive cast system that is aggressively reinforced by a mysterious priest class. All the while, there is a mysterious intelligence that sits in a crystal cave, observing and manipulating lives as it creates the conditions for Arthur’s emergence in this time of need.
This was a wonderful blend of both the Arthurian legend and true science fiction. And it remained wonderfully true to both. I made notes as I pieced together the clues and hints from the world of the submariners and later the surface world, so different in every way. The descriptions were excellent, allowing me to clearly picture the city under the sea, as well the surface world as we rode along a dangerous path between castles, fearful of the beasts that lurked along the way. As Arthur learned more about Shadow’s life, we discover layer upon layer of detail that continues to enrich the story. The characters are intense and very easy to identify with, and it was fun to watch Arthur mature and grow in confidence as he learned more about his world and began making decisions about his life.
As the story drew to a close, I was pleased to think of it as more of a satisfying pause than an ending. There is definitely a lot more story to tell. And when C. N. Lesley introduces the next book, I will be first in line to buy it.
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Shadow Over Avalon takes you to a different world, but at the same time manages to keep some part of you anchored to a beloved piece of literary history. And the way that Lesley does it is as magical as the legend itself. Lesley not only creates an environment that mesmerizes the reader, she also threatens, amazes, and makes the reader feel at home, but always with suspense thick in the air.
The characters make or break a book for me, and these characters were as real as my neighbors (unfortunately). Some I loved like a dear friend; some I loathed. But all of them made me “feel” and that’s what’s important to me. These were not cookie-cutter fill-ins that Lesley pulled from another novel. I’m convinced that somewhere, in some life or time, Lesley “knew” these people. They’re as real as that.
Plot is the other thing that keeps me flipping pages in a book, and I have to say I’m often tempted to toss a book if the plot isn’t strong. No worries with Shadow Over Avalon. This plot keeps you guessing, keeps you filled with suspense and dread, keeps you wondering what the hell is going to happen next. Exactly the way I want it.
That brings me to prose and quality of writing. There’s not much to say, except—damn good job. Every author has a unique voice; Lesley’s is unique in a very good way. Like all good authors, it takes a few pages for her style to latch onto you, but once you settle in there’s no going back. I read this in two nights, but only because I had to sleep; otherwise, I would have pushed through that first night. Don’t plan on starting this book late; you’ll curse yourself in the morning if you do.
There aren’t a lot of books I rave about, but Shadow Over Avalon takes most of what I love in books and wraps it all up in a nice present. Great characters, great plot, great prose, add in a great setting and you’re set to go. I recommend this to anyone who likes a good book. And I might say, this could easily be a cross-genre interest. You don’t have to be a fan of Arthurian legends, or SciFi/fantasy to love this book. Go get it. You won’t be disappointed.
Giacomo Giammatteo, author.
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Beautiful and Imaginative!
I am an avid fan of all things King Arthur, so was excited to read author C.N. Lesley’s version of the legend. She took a familiar story and made it her own. Her imaginative plot, vivid descriptions, and strong characters made this novel a pleasure to read. I knew from the start this would be something to savor and not rush through.
I also enjoyed the masterful way the author was able to blend two genres. It isn’t easy to make fantasy and science fiction work together; in this case it was a success! I know I will re-read this novel in the future and look forward to more works from this brilliant writer.
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For this reader, C. N. Lesley's "Shadow Over Avalon" is nothing short of a masterpiece! The novel is an imaginative and complex re-telling of the Arthurian legend in which Lesley has created a future world full of wonders and perils that slowly and intricately are revealed in a rich and multi-layered plot.
In the beginning, we are immediately sucked into the story of Ashira, a king's daughter in a rather primitive world, ruthlessly traded away in marriage to Uther, The Dragon. Juxtaposed with her tale is the story of Arthur, a young lad living in a futuristic undersea community, who is desperately trying to discover his lineage while, at the same time, trying to evade the suspect agenda of the "seers". Eventually, these two worlds collide as factions from each join forces to defeat an even more menacing foe.
The world that Lesley has created in this retelling of the ancient legend is so layered and complex, this reader was constantly reminded of Frank Herbert's epic masterpiece "Dune". This is a must-read for all science fiction/fantasy fans, but will enthrall any who enjoy a fast-paced story with characters you cannot help but come to care about. I can't wait to read the sequel!
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I thoroughly enjoyed this one! This story has plenty of action, drama and suspense which will keep you turning the pages as you follow Arthur during his time in Avalon, an underwater city, as he uses the sentient AI known as The Archives, to review the life of Shadow because of his many vivid dreams of surface life that he's never experienced. As technologically advanced as the Submariners are, the Terran surface dwellers are stuck in medieval times. As he goes through the data, many secrets come to light and with it, deadly enemies come out. Why is Arthur so drawn to Shadow and her quest to destroy the Harvesters that have ability to control minds and destroy lives? So many questions arise and could get Arthur killed. No spoilers so I suggest reading this one for yourself. I highly recommend this one!
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Worlds collide in C.N. Lesley’s Shadow Over Avalon where Arthurian legend meets McCaffreyian excellence in writing. If you love epic fantasy, depth of character and layered, detailed plot, you will love this series. This story takes some effort as it is dense with description and characterization, but it is well worth the effort for lovers of this genre.
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Anything with the word "Avalon" in its title is going to pique my interest. This futuristic sci-fi novel about Arthur is no exception. In this rendition, Arthur lives beneath the sea in an advanced society of Avalon. His interest lies in the world above, however, where a woman named Shadow leads a rebellion. Little by little, as Arthur hooks up to the Archive, an intelligent computer system, her story unfolds.
The author has done a tremendous job world building and the characters are alive. The complex plot will keep you guessing what is going to happen. This is not your throw-away book. You'll want to keep this and read the entire series, then go back and read it again.
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Shadow Over Avalon by C. N. Lesley is a science fiction story about the life of young Arthur, who puzzles out his heritage in the technology-filled underwater city of Avalon.
Arthur is a telepathic young man who rebels against the life dictated by others. He is an orphan, and haunted by nightmares about a courageous young woman who lives on the primitive and hostile surface of his world. Not knowing why he does so, Arthur uses the ubiquitous computer system in his world called the Archive to relive the recordings of her life.
It dawns on him that he and this woman have a mutual enemy. These all-powerful manipulators will stop at nothing to destroy this harmless-seeming young woman. They also want to destroy Arthur’s idyllic city hidden under the ocean. By the end of the story, Arthur learns how his twisty fate is connected to this woman, and the horrifying motivations of their common foe.
Shadow Over Avalon is a delightful redux on the classic Arthurian Legend. It translates the fantasy into a science fiction treatise. It recasts Arthur, Merlin, and others into new personas. They have the same motivations as the originals, but they struggle in a vastly different world. The clever plot kept me second-guessing.
C. N. Lesley has an expert touch with creating sympathetic and engaging characters. And the bad guys? The innocuous introduction lulled me at first, but by the end of the story I was all but squirming when I learned their motivations. I must read the sequel to see how Arthur and his out-matched friends figure out how to beat these utterly despicable bad guys.
Fans of Arthur’s classic struggles would like Shadow Over Avalon. C. N. Lesley’s story has delightful surprises, and the best part is figuring out the bad guys.
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Imagination Out of This World!
This book has everything I like. First of all, there’s a badass heroine! I love my female characters strong, and this one definitely is strong. There’s action- lots of it! There’s suspense, romance, mystery, betrayal, and loyalty.
The author does a nice job describing the main character’s pain and loss. Then we see her becoming stronger and persevering- wanting to get revenge.
I have to admit, the author has quite an imagination. The fact that the author was able to put her imagination into a story is quite impressive. My advice to the readers is to read the book where you can focus. Trust me, you don’t want to miss anything.
I don’t want to give anything away because there are many things that happen in the book that you don’t expect. But, if you’re looking for a very different story, that has a lot of twists and turns, this is the one for you.
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Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite
Shadow over Avalon by C.N. Lesley is a well written and original retelling of the Arthurian legend. This book brings freshness to the well-known and often told story by placing it in the far future. The King Arthur story has a multitude of fans and some of us will buy any version of the story we come across. It is a great surprise and reward when a writer I am not familiar with gives me an exciting and totally new version of the story. C.N. Lesley's story has many of the familiar characters we have grown to know and love. Characters like Merlin, Uther, and Arthur himself are in this book and easily recognized, but because the writer has created a well thought out and interesting future world with a complex and dynamic culture and society, everything about the characters and story is new and exciting. In medieval England a lot of conflict revolved around heirs and ancestors and this book opens with Arthur determined to find his parentage, while at the same time refusing to donate his own DNA for some purpose he is not completely sure of.
I enjoyed Shadow over Avalon immensely. In my opinion C.N. Lesley balances all aspects of the novel perfectly. The characters are complex and well developed. The same can be said of the world they inhabit. There is conflict and relationship tension throughout the story to such an extent that I couldn't wait to turn the page to see what would happen next.
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